International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

Volume 20 | Issue 1 Article 11

1-1-2001 A New Look at Theosophy The Great Chain of Being Revisited H. David Wenger East Lansing, Michigan, USA

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Recommended Citation Wenger, H. D. (2001). Wenger, H. D. (2001). A new look at theosophy: The great chain of being revisited. International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 20(1), 107–124.. International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 20 (1). http://dx.doi.org/10.24972/ ijts.2001.20.1.107

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H. David 'Wenger East Lansing, Michigan, USA

This paper presents an exploration of the evolution and multidimensional nature of human consciousness. It first establishes a context for this exploration in the Great Chain of Being (a central concept ofthe Perennial Philosophy-the core of philosophical wisdom common to the world's religious traditions). Next, certain constructs from the teachings of Theosophy are summarized, shown to be consistent with the Great Chain of Being, and then used as a model for exploring the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual dimensions of consciousness. Finally, implications of this model for a spiritual psychology are discussed.

Vast chain of being! which from God began, somewhat obscure body of philosophical/spiritual Nature's ethereal, human, angel, man, thought known as Theosophy, a system that Beast, bird, fish, insect! what no eye can see, applies the Great Chain of Being with precision No glass can reach! from infinite to thee ... and detail, is then used as a lens through which From nature's chain whatever link you strike, to view the unfolding of human consciousness. Tenth, or ten thousandth, breaks the chain Finally, the resulting implications for a spiritual alike. psychology are discussed. First, however, I will - Alexander Pope1 very briefly review the history of the Great Chain of Being as a philosophical construct. ms PASSAGE from Pope's An Essay on Man illustrates the extent to which the idea of Historical Review T the Great Chain of Being pervaded eighteenth-century thought prior to the advent HE GREAT Chain ofBeing is regarded by Wilber of logical positivism and scientific reductionism. T (1993) as a central component of the broader The view described by the Great Chain of Being, philosophical theme called the philosophia the conception that holds the universe to be perennis, or the Perennial Philosophy, said to multidimensional, consisting of an infinite underlie all religious traditions throughout number of links ranging in hierarchical order history. Although the term philosophia perennis through every possible grade, was for centuries has been used in Western philosophy for one of the most well-known views in Western centuries, it was popularized more recently by philosophy, science, and literature. Although this Aldous Huxley (1944) who defined it, in part, as perspective eventually fell on hard times, the term "the metaphysic that recognizes a divine Reality was revived in the modern era by Arthur Lovejoy substantial to the world of things and lives and (1936/1961) in his book The Great Chain ofBeing, minds; the psychology that finds in the soul and the idea was more recently examined by Ken something similar to, or even identical with, Wilber (1993) in his essay of the same name. divine Reality" (p. vii). Huxley goes on to say that In the present paper, the Great Chain of Being "rudiments of the Perennial Philosophy may be is conceptualized as a foundation construct for the found in the traditional lore of primitive peoples study of consciousness. The esoteric and now in every region of the world, and in its fully

The International journal ofTranspersonal Studies, 2001, Vol. 20, 107-124 107 © 2001 by Panigada Press developed forms it has a place in every one of the In recent years the language used to describe higher religions" (p. vii). In ordinary language, the the Great Chain of Being has evolved. Arthur essence of the Perennial Philosophy is simply some Koestler (1968) coined the terms ''holon" to denote form of a belief in God, an Absolute, or a Divine a thing that is whole at one stage but part of a larger order. It is called "perennial" because it is common whole at the next, and "holarchy," defined as a to all peoples at all times. And despite the opposing hierarchy of holons. Wilber (1993) then borrowed perspective offered by postmodern, contextualist Koestler's terminology and applied it to the Great schools of thought (see Ferrer, 2000; Wilber, 1998), Chain ofBeing. In later writings, Wilber (1998, 2000) the Perennial Philosophy is arguably the dominant refers to the Great Chain as a "Great Nest of Being," worldview underlying contemporary transpersonal in which the levels are conceptualized as concentric theory.2 holarchical spheres nested within themselves in a Lovejoy (1936/1961) calls the Great Chain of hierarchy of increasing wholeness. Wilber (2000) Being "one of the half-dozen most potent and further describes the Great Nest as representing "a persistent presuppositions in Western thought" (p. great morphogenetic field or developmental space­ vii). Until approximately the beginning of the stretching from matter to mind to spirit- in which nineteenth century it was "probably the most widely various potentials unfold into actuality'' (p. 12), familiar conception of the general scheme ofthings, (which is essentially an updated version of Plato's ofthe constitutive pattern ofthe universe" (Lovejoy, principal of plenitude and Aristotle's principles of 1936/1961, p. vii). According to Lovejoy (1936/1961), qualitative continuity and unilinear gradation, as the idea of the Great Chain of Being is rooted in mentioned above). Wilber's modern terms are useful Plato's principle of "plenitude" (Lovejoy's term), reformulations of the original expression, and for Aristotle's principle of"qualitative continuity," and purposes of this paper, I find his integration of Aristotle's principle of "unilinear gradation" Koestler's (1968) terminology to be especially useful. (Lovejoy's term). Very briefly, what Lovejoy calls Accordingly, I will use "holarchy of being" or Plato's principle of plenitude says that if a thing "evolutionary holarchy'' interchangeably with "the can exist, it wilP Aristotle's principle of qualitative Great Chain of Being." continuity posits that if a thing exists it can be graded on a continuum of excellence (Lovejoy, 1936/ 1961, pp. 55-56); and what Lovejoy refers to as Consciousness Evolution Through the Aristotle's principle of unilinear gradation, holds Holarchy of Being that a qualitative continuum can be applied not only to matter, but to "powers of soul" as well (Lovejoy, T HAS become commonplace in contemporary 1936/1961, pp. 58-59). I society, and particularly in holistic medicine To summarize, the Perennial Philosophy holds and psychology, for people to be regarded as that the fundamental substratum, or "ground" of multidimensional beings, having levels of reality is spirit, or consciousness, and that this expression in addition to, but equally as important fundamental reality known variously as God, as, the physical. Evidence of a widespread Brahman, or Tao manifests itself as the physical acceptance of this concept can be seen in the many universe. Additionally, the multidimensional current book titles that include the words soul or universe posited by the Great Chain of Being spirit, or some combination of the words mind, describes a hierarchy, as Wilber (1993) puts it, body, soul, and spirit (e.g., Jessel-Kenyon, 1999; "reaching from the lowest and most dense and least T. Moore, 1992; Myss, 1996; Zukav, 1989). This conscious to the highest and most subtle and most holistic, multidimensional perspective is nothing conscious" (p. 53); or, a spectrum of consciousness new. It is consistent with a view of humankind with matter at one end and spirit at the other. In planted squarely in an evolutionary holarchy, in Wilber's (1993) words: a Great Chain of Being, and is taken directly from the world's primary wisdom/religious traditions. The central claim of the perennial philosophy Although the language used varies from tradition is that men and women can grow and develop (or evolve) all the way up the hierarchy to Spirit to tradition, the dimensions of being are, quite itself, therein to realize a "supreme identity" simply, the levels of holarchy as they appear in with Godhead-the ens perfectissimum toward these traditions. Partly following Wilber (1993), which all growth and evolution yearns. (p. 54) who summarized the terms used for the levels of

108 The International journaL ofTrampersonal Studies, 2001, 1/0L. 20 developed forms it has a place in every one of the In recent years the language used to describe higher religions" (p. vii). In ordinary language, the the Great Chain of Being has evolved. Arthur essence of the Perennial Philosophy is simply some Koestler (1968) coined the terms ''holon" to denote form of a belief in God, an Absolute, or a Divine a thing that is whole at one stage but part ofa larger order. It is called "perennial" because it is common whole at the next, and "holarchy," defined as a to all peoples at all times. And despite the opposing hierarchy of holons. Wilber (1993) then borrowed perspective offered by postmodern, contextualist Koestler's terminology and applied it to the Great schools of thought (see Ferrer, 2000; Wilber, 1998), Chain ofBeing. In later writings, Wilber (1998, 2000) the Perennial Philosophy is arguably the dominant refers to the Great Chain as a "Great Nest ofBeing," worldview underlying contemporary transpersonal in which the levels are conceptualized as concentric theory.2 holarchical spheres nested within themselves in a Lovejoy (1936/1961) calls the Great Chain of hierarchy of increasing wholeness. Wilber (2000) Being "one of the half-dozen most potent and further describes the Great Nest as representing "a persistent presuppositions in Western thought" (p. great morphogenetic field or developmental space­ vii). Until approximately the beginning of the stretching from matter to mind to spirit-in which nineteenth century it was "probably the most widely various potentials unfold into actuality'' (p. 12), familiar conception ofthe general scheme of things, (which is essentially an updated version of Plato's of the constitutive pattern of the universe" (Lovejoy, principal of plenitude and Aristotle's principles of 1936/1961, p. vii).Accordingto Lovejoy (1936/1961), qualitative continuity and unilinear gradation, as the idea of the Great Chain of Being is rooted in mentioned above). Wilber's modern terms are useful Plato's principle of "plenitude" (Lovejoy's term), reformulations of the original expression, and for Aristotle's principle of"qualitative continuity," and purposes of this paper, I find his integration of Aristotle's principle of "unilinear gradation" Koestler's (1968) terminology to be especially useful. (Lovejoy's term). Very briefly, what Lovejoy calls Accordingly, I will use "holarchy of being" or Plato's principle of plenitude says that if a thing "evolutionary holarchy'' interchangeably with "the can exist, it will.3 Aristotle's principle of qualitative Great Chain of Being." continuity posits that if a thing exists it can be graded on a continuum ofexcellence (Lovejoy, 1936/ 1961, pp. 55-56); and what Lovejoy refers to as Consciousness Evolution Through the Aristotle's principle of unilinear gradation, holds Holarchy of Being that a qualitative continuum can be applied not only to matter, but to "powers of soul" as well (Lovejoy, T HAS become commonplace in contemporary 1936/1961, pp. 58-59). I society, and particularly in holistic medicine To summarize, the Perennial Philosophy holds and psychology, for people to be regarded as that the fundamental substratum, or "ground" of multidimensional beings, having levels of reality is spirit, or consciousness, and that this expression in addition to, but equally as important fundamental reality known variously as God, as, the physical. Evidence of a widespread Brahman, or Tao manifests itself as the physical acceptance of this concept can be seen in the many universe. Additionally, the multidimensional current book titles that include the words soul or universe posited by the Great Chain of Being spirit, or some combination of the words mind, describes a hierarchy, as Wilber (1993) puts it, body, soul, and spirit (e.g., Jessel-Kenyon, 1999; "reaching from the lowest and most dense and least T. Moore, 1992; Myss, 1996; Zukav, 1989). This conscious to the highest and most subtle and most holistic, multidimensional perspective is nothing conscious" (p. 53); or, a spectrum of consciousness new. It is consistent with a view of humankind with matter at one end and spirit at the other. In planted squarely in an evolutionary holarchy, in Wilber's (1993) words: a Great Chain of Being, and is taken directly from the world's primary wisdom/religious traditions. The central claim of the perennial philosophy Although the language used varies from tradition is that men and women can grow and develop (or evolve) all the way up the hierarchy to Spirit to tradition, the dimensions of being are, quite itself, therein to realize a "supreme identity" simply, the levels of holarchy as they appear in with Godhead-the ens perfectissimum toward these traditions. Partly following Wilber (1993), which all growth and evolution yearns. (p. 54) who summarized the terms used for the levels of

108 The InternationaL journaL ofTranspersonaL Studies, 2001, VoL 20 holarchy by representative religious teachings of (the sheath made of mind), vijfiilnamaya-kosha three widely practiced wisdom traditions-Judea­ (the sheath made of intuition, or higher mind), Christian-Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist, let us and finally,anandamaya-kosha (the sheath made look briefly at these traditions. ofbliss) (Chatterji, 193111992; Wemer, 1997).6 The Christian terms for the dimensions of In Buddhism, correspondences to the levels of being derive from the tripartite holarchy of body, holarchy are not as neatly packaged as they are soul, and spirit seen in both the ancient Greek in Christianity and Hinduism. Nevertheless, and Hebrew traditions.4 Although there is glimpses ofholarchy can be seen throughout the probably some variation in the terms that can be various schools in the concept of the five groups, accurately used to describe the Christian view, in aggregates, or skandhas (Prebish, 1975; my opinion they can be appropriately rendered Schumann, 1993); in the later doctrine ofthe three as: body, flesh, mind, soul, and spirit. 5 In Vedanta bodies of Buddha, the trikaya (Nagao, 1991; Hinduism, the levels of holarchy can be seen in Schumann, 1993); and in the eight levels of the five "sheaths" or dimensions of being (the consciousness, the vijfiilnas, ofthe Yogacara school koshas) that are said to cover human essence like of Mahayana (Ehman, 1975; Schumann, 1993). the layers of an onion, each of which corresponds Specifically, in the Yogacara system, the first five to one of the world divisions, or planes of existence levels of consciousness (holarchy) are the five (the lokas). These sheaths are called annamaya­ senses. Following these are the mano-vijfiiina, the kosha (literally, the sheath made of food, or the sixth level, mental consciousness; the seventh physical body), prfmamaya-kosha (the sheath level, manas, a more subtle mental consciousness made ofpriina or vital life force), manomaya-kosha related to the reception and disposition ofthe data

Figure 1 Approximate Correspondences of the Terms Used for Evolutionary Holarchy by Christianity, Vedanta Hinduism, the Yogacara School of Mahayana Buddhism, and T heosophy7

TEACHING OR LEVELS OF HOLARCHY TRADITION

Body Flesh Mind Soul Spirit

• physical body • non-distinct • cognition and • vital existence • God CHRISTIANITY physical fo rm intellect • Source of life Levels of Being • physical- emotional appetites or desires

Annamaya- Prinamaya- Manomaya- Vijfianamaya- Anandamaya- Spirit kosha kosha kosha kosha kosha VEDANTA (sheath made of (sheath made of (sheath made of (sheath made of (sheath made of HINDUISM food) "vital air"} mind) intuition) bliss) Sheaths, or • physical body • emotional • concrete mind • higher, or • Brahman- Arman Koshas ene~ based on sensory subtle mind • vital li e fo rce data •ultimate reality

MAHAYANA The First Five Vijfianas Mano-vijiiana Manas Alaya-vijfiana Level of the Absolute (Yogadi.ra) • the five senses • mental • a more subtle • ''storehouse,. BUDDHISM consciousness mental consciousness Levels, or consciousness Vijfianas

Physical Body Emotional Body Mental Body Causal, or Body of Bliss Spirit THEOSOPHY Spiritual Body Vehicles of • emotional • concrete mind • higher, or • super- • universal Consciousness energy based on sensory subtle and consciousness consciousness • "desire" body data intuitive mind • monadic consciousness

A New Look at Theosophy 109 from the preceding six consciousnesses; and (e.g., Isis Unveiled, 1884; The Secret Doctrine, finally, alaya-vijfiiina, the eighth consciousness 1888), further developed by Annie Besant, C. W. or "storehouse consciousness" (Ehman, 1975). And Leadbeater, and others, and derived from ancient beyond these levels is the Absolute (Schumann, Hindu, Tibetan, and Egyptian sources. Theosophy, 1993), what Wilber (1993) calls "pure Spirit." which provided one of the earliest introductions An objective of this paper is to explore aspects to Eastern religious thought in the West, is only of the expression and evolution of consciousness one of a number of movements based on broad through the dimensions of human experience, spiritual principles that emerged as alternatives examining what the Great Chain of Being really to traditional Western religions in the late looks like in human terms. In my view, one of nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The the most thorough, detailed, and sensible teachings of Theosophy are extremely detailed conceptualizations available regarding the human and abstruse, and use archaic terms such as multidimensional makeup, and the manner in "permanent atom" and the like which fall which human consciousness is expressed and discordantly on twenty-first-century Western evolves through these dimensions, is found in the ears. In part for these reasons, as well as a esoteric writings of Theosophy. Although confusing variation in detail from writer to writer, Theosophy does not enjoy widespread popularity and in all likelihood because it was not clearly in modern transpersonal thought, I find it to be a differentiated in the public mind from particularly useful perspective from which to view spiritualism (which was tainted with charges of human consciousness because holarchy is charlatanry), Theosophy has, for the most part, delineated with clarity and precision, both as a been relegated to a place of semiobscurity in cosmology and as a corresponding system of modern spiritual and psychological thought.9 personal evolution through that cosmology. Thus, The brief summary given here is somewhat the Theosophical view of evolutionary holarchy streamlined. I have limited it to concepts most is the specific philosophical/theoretical foundation germane to this paper, have omitted details that on which my observations about the evolution of serve more to obscure than to clarify, and have consciousness are based. An overview of how the modified some ofthe terminology to render it more Theosophical conception of the levels of holarchy palatable to the modern reader. compares with those of Christianity, Vedanta Hinduism, and the Yogacara school of Mahayana The Planes of Nature Buddhism can be seen in Figure 1. The reader will note that the Theosophical view CCORDING TO the Theosophical version of ofholarchy is equivalent to these widely practiced A evolutionary holarchy, the universe is religious/wisdom traditions, all of which, as we composed of a series of discrete yet continuous have seen, perceive the Great Chain in much the dimensions, or planes, called the "planes of same way. nature," a conception that appears to be As background material, I will next present a essentially identical to the world divisions, or brief summary of the Theosophical teachings planes of existence (the lokas), found in regarding the "planes of nature" (the Great Hinduism.10 Leadbeater (1903/1980) referred to Chain), what might be thought of as the overall these planes as consisting of matter in differing cosmology of Theosophy, and the corresponding degrees of density, or texture, ranging from the ''bodies" or "vehicles" through which consciousness physical plane that we perceive with our ordinary is expressed.8 Following this summary, I will five senses through graduated and increasingly discuss implications for a spiritual psychology. more subtle spiritual planes to the plane of pure spirit. Bailey (1930) described the composition of the higher planes somewhat differently, but her An Overview of Selected meaning is essentially the same. According to Theosophical Concepts Bailey (pp. 56-57), the universe is filled with an underlying substance which can be defined as HEOSOPHY rs a body of philosophical and matter in the sense that matter is energy. Thus, T esoteric spiritual thought based on the late physical matter is energy in its densest form and nineteenth-century writings of Helena Blavatsky spirit is this same energy in its highest, or most

110 The International journal ofTranspersonal Studies, 200 I, VoL 20 subtle, form. A modern writer (Gerber, 1988) monad is called the Spiritual Triad because, on described the substance of the various planes as these lower planes, it manifests the three aspects differing in vibration rate, or frequency, and used of Universal Consciousness: will, love-wisdom, the analogy of musical notes increasing in and active intelligence. The Spiritual Triad is a frequency from one octave to the next to describe seed of divine life on these planes and is the spirit, the progression from one plane to another. or life force, that ensouls the human expression Theosophy teaches that there are seven planes which occurs on the three lower planes: the in all and that each plane in turn is divided into mental, emotional, and physical. These three seven subplanes. Different sources use different planes are the "field" of normal human names for these planes. In this paper, I will use evolution- the so-called "Three Worlds" in which the names employed by Lansdowne (1986): adi, human consciousness is expressed. monadic, atmic, buddhic, mental, emotional, and Theosophy teaches that on the three lower physical, with the highest plane (adi) being the planes, the monad (or individual human spirit) plane of pure spirit and ranging downward in constructs bodies, or vehicles, for the purpose of order to the plane of dense matter, the physical. expressing consciousness and gathering These seven planes are illustrated in Figure 2. experience on these planes. These vehicles are It should be noted that, although the planes constructed of the matter, or substance, of which are depicted graphically as layers one on top of the lower three planes are composed and allow another like a bookshelf, this is only a two­ consciousness access to these planes. Thus, not dimensional representation of a complex, only do we have a physical body, but emotional multidimensional construct. In reality, the planes and mental bodies which occupy roughly the same occupy the same three-dimensional space and space as, and interpenetrate, the physical body thoroughly interpenetrate one another. as well. The only real differences are that the bodies that exist on the emotional and mental The Vehicles of Consciousness planes are constructed of the more highly refined, or more subtle matter (or higher vibration rate, CCORDING TO Theosophy, the real human Self depending on one's viewpoint) of these higher A is a spark, or fragment, of Universal planes. In the previous section I pointed out that Consciousness called the "monad," defined by the the Theosophical notion of the planes of nature is American Heritage Dictionary (Morris, 1969) as essentially the same as the planes, or world "an indivisible and impenetrable unit of divisions, found in Hinduism. In like manner, the substance." Although rooted in the highest plane concept of the vehicles of consciousness (the adi), the natural home of the monad is the corresponds to the Vedantic view of the koshas, second plane (the monadic). As a fragment of the sheaths which surround human essence (each Supreme or Universal Consciousness, the monad of which relates to one of the world divisions).tz has the same three-fold nature as Universal As Figure 2 indicates, the physical body Consciousn,ess, namely, the aspects of will, love­ consists of two portions: the dense physical body wisdom, and active intelligence. This three-fold and the etheric body. The world of ordinary matter expression of Supreme Consciousness is the that we perceive with our five senses is composed Trinity of Christianity (Father, Son, and Holy of the substance of the three lowest (or most Spirit, in that order) and of Hinduism (Shiva, dense) subplanes of the physical plane: the Vishnu, and Brahma, in that order). The monad gaseous, liquid, and solid subplanes. In might be conceptualized as the human spirit, a Theosophy, the highest four physical subplanes spark or fragment of the Divine Spirit, and are called the first, second, third, and fourth therefore ofthe same three-fold nature as Divinity. ethers (using the language of the time), and the Monads that choose to develop consciousness etheric body is built of the substance of these on the five lower and increasingly dense planes subplanes. anchor a reflection, or a stepped-down version, of The etheric body is the lowest of what are themselves on the third and fourth planes (the sometimes referred to as the "subtle bodies." atmic and buddhic) and on the highest subplane However, the etheric body is not a separate of the mental plane. This lower reflection of the vehicle, but simply a part of the physical body. It

A New Look at Theosophy 111 Figure 2 Theosophical View ofHwnan Evolution Through me Great Chain ofBeingl'

Spirit-Matter PlANES OF NATURE CONSCIOUSNESS CORRESPONDING TO THE Continuum PLANES OF NATURE

SPIRIT

Am PLANE Universal Consciousness (three-fold in essence): will, love-wisdom, and active intelligence

MoNADIC PIANE The Monad, a spark of Universal Consciousness (three-fold in essence)

~ -- -- ~~------4------r------~ Super­ Consciousness: ATMICPIANE The Spiritual Triad: Body ofBli ss Lower reflection of the Monad as the spirit, or life force, in three-fold BUDDH!C PlANE maoifescarion ;a i ~ 0 0 !;!------1 0 Spiritual (Causal) z Soul/Higher Self ~ Body 8 - MENTAL PIANE.------1 ~ ------l 5 Mental Body ::c ~ ... :r 0 g § f-EMOTIONAL PLANE------1 1-<~ Emotional Body ~ Personalicy ~ :2 1rsr ether > second ether Erheric Body ~~~tr f-PJ HYSICAL PIANE ---~fo:::.ur=..•h""ee;:th!-er--1 gaseous MATTER liowd Dense Physical solid Bodv is what is sometimes called the "vital body" (or resemble whirling vortices). Each chakra the "energy body'') and is the link between the underlies, or is associated with, a particular nerve physical body and the various forces of the higher plexus and endocrine gland. Detailed information planes, including the universal life force, or on the etheric chakra system is beyond the scope energy, which in the East is called ch'i or prana. of this paper. I mention the chakras for the The etheric body underlies the dense physical purpose of indicating the manner in which this body through an intricate system of energy fairly widespread concept fits in the broader channels, or very fme threads of force, called structure of the vehicles of consciousness.13 "nadis" (Bailey, 1942, 1953) that parallel and The emotional plane lies just above the energize the nervous system. Where many lines physical plane in the Great Chain of Being and is of etheric force (or nadis) intersect are found the the world of emotion and sensation. The major centers of etheric force called "chakras" corresponding emotional body, sometimes called (from Sanskrit meaning "wheels," so named the "desire" body, acts as an interface between the because to persons with clairvoyant vision they physical body and the mental body in that it

112 The International journal ofTranspersonaf Studies, 2001, Vtil. 20 converts information received from the physical mention, however, that this view is not entirely an body into sensations that are passed on to the Eastern perspective. It perfectly fits the idea of mental body as perceptions. To these sensations evolutionary holarchy, a construct which appears the emotional body can add qualities, such as to be universal. Secondly, it was not foreign to "pleasant" or "unpleasant," or any feeling, such as ancient Greek thought, as seen in the Myth of Er desire, fear, or envy (Lansdowne, 1986, p. 5). The in Plato's Republic (10.614-621). And finally, as emotional body is often referred to in the esoteric pointed out by L. D. Moore (1992, 1994), it is not literature as the "astral body" (and the contradicted by the teachings of Christianity.14 corresponding emotional plane is often called the Now let us return to the ways in which the "astral plane") because the emotional body is said causal body differs from the physical, emotional, to have a luminous, or "starry," appearance to the and mental vehicles. First, whereas the lower three clairvoyant eye. bodies are temporary, that is, they are used for one The next highest plane in the Great Chain, the lifetime and are replaced with each new lifetime, mental plane, is the world of thought and intellect. the causal body is a permanent vehicle throughout It contributes two vehicles to our multidimensional the many lifetimes ofhuman evolution.15 Secondly, makeup: the mental body and the causal body. The the causal body is the home of the soul. It is the mental body consists of the substance of the lower seat of human consciousness, the receptacle for the four subplanes ofthe mental plane, and the causal seed of spirit, or life force with which the monad body is built of the matter of the three highest (via the Spiritual Triad) vitalizes the human form. subplanes (see Figure 2). The mental body is At the beginning of the human cycle of evolution sometimes called the ''lower concrete mind." It is the causal body exists in only rudimentary form. through this vehicle that the ordinary aspects of It is built slowly over many lifetimes by the intellect which involve manipulating and attaching accumulation of good qualities which are developed meaning to sensory data are expressed. The causal in each life. It is the storehouse for the abstracted body is sometimes referred to as the ''higher mind" positive essence of each life, for the character, because it is built on the highest levels of the wisdom, and spiritual qualities that build life after mental plane and is the province of abstract life. The causal body is the vehicle of expression thinking and ofthose aspects of intellect (such as for what I refer to as the "spiritual" dimension, or intuition and wisdom) that go beyond usual level of.being. Thus, I have chosen to replace the conscious thought (Lansdowne, 1986, pp. 7 -8). The Theosophical term "causal body'' with "spiritual causal body deals with the essence and underlying body'' in order to bring the terminology in line with nature of things, "the true causes behind the the conception of the spiritual dimension as it is illusion of appearances" (Gerber, 1988, p. 155). commonly understood, and as it is used in this The causal body differs from the physical, paper. From this point on, I will use the term emotional, and mental vehicles in several "spiritual body" interchangeably with "causal important ways. Before addressing these body." differences, however, it is necessary to comment Theosophy also describes a higher vehicle which briefly on the Theosophical tenet (or, more Besant (1918) calls the ''body ofbliss."16 This body generically, the Eastern view) that the evolution corresponds to the Hindu anandamaya-kosha, or of the human soul takes place over the course of "sheath made of bliss," and is the vehicle of many lifetimes. While not entirely prerequisite to expression at the level ofconsciousness beyond that the conceptions developed in this paper, much of which requires physical plane incarnation. It is a their substance and complexity depends on viewing dimension to which spiritually advanced mystics the process of human psychological and spiritual (both Eastern and Western) apparently have maturation as resulting from having experienced access. This level of consciousness is known as hum.an existence in virtually all possible forms and "superconsciousness" and corresponds to the atmic circumstances. The present paper is not the forum and buddhic planes of nature (see Figure 2). in which to argue the case for reincarnation; this According to Theosophy, during the time the has already been done, and done well (e.g., human soul is maturing, or gathering experience Cranston & Williams, 1984; Howe, 1974; L. D. in the Three Worlds of human evolution, the soul Moore, 1992, 1994; Stevenson, 1966). I will is housed in the physical, emotional, mental, and

A New Look at Theosophy 113 spiritual bodies while in physical incarnation, and Great Chain of Being, we bring psychology and these bodies are vehicles for the human spirituality together. If we perceive consciousness multidimensional expression. At death, the soul to be the stuffwith which psychology is concerned, simply exits, or sheds, the physical vehicle. The and see it as "reaching from the lowest and most soul is still clothed, however, in the emotional, dense-to the highest and most subtle" (Wilber, mental, and spiritual bodies and the person is just 1993, p. 53), and also as the manifestation of spirit, as alive as before. The essential difference is that we see that there is no difference between now the individual's primary plane of conscious psychological growth and spiritual growth-they experience is the emotional plane rather than the are both an evolution in consciousness. This view physical plane. The level (subplane) within the is not an integration ofpsychology and spirituality. emotional plane at which the soul primarily Rather, it is a recognition that they are essentially operates between lives will vary depending on its one and the same. level of evolution, and since the planes Modern psychology was spawned within the interpenetrate, the soul does not necessarily go broader context of philosophy during the anywhere in a spatial sense. eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and, in the Although the soul residing primarily on the beginning, was not sharply differentiated from emotional plane between lives can perceive the theology. As nineteenth-century empiricism fueled physical plane, most of us on the physical plane a growing schism between science and religion, cannot see into the higher planes. However, those however, psychology sought distance from its persons gifted with clairvoyant vision can see philosophical/theological roots and scrambled to emotional, mental, or spiritual vehicles and align with its more measurable cousin, biology. therefore can perceive entities from the emotional Freud even went so far as to imply that religion is or mental planes. And there are times when some a form of neurosis. of the rest of us (especially children) are given a It is therefore interesting that at the beginning brief glimpse into these realms. What are of a new millennium we should be searching for a commonly referred to as "auras" are nothing more psychology that embraces humankind's spiritual than the subtle bodies (i.e., the etheric, emotional, nature when the seeds ofthis psychology have been mental, and spiritual vehicles). The majority of latent within the discipline all along. It is also clairvoyants, however, do not perceive beyond the interesting, ifnot ironic, that the wedge which was emotional body. driven between science and religion is arguably best illustrated by the debate over Darwinian evolution, and now, with a return to the philosophia Implications for a perennis, the concept of evolution provides an Spiritual Psychology underlying construct for a spiritual psychology. But in this case, the principle of evolution is applied to F WE view humankind not as physical beings aspects ofSelfbeyond the physical- the evolution I but as spiritual beings expressed through of consciousness; what Aristotle might have called bodies on multiple dimensions, the focus of "powers of soul." psychology must perforce turn to the indwelling In my view, a psychology of consciousness (or spiritual essence: the Self, soul, or consciousness. the soul)-by definition a spiritual psychology­ Human consciousness, as we have seen, is a must include the following three areas of inquiry: reflection of spirit-or Universal Consciousness­ (a) the evolution of consciousness which occurs as on the lower planes. This fragment of Divinity a function of many incarnations on the physical evolves along a continuum, metaphorically called plane; (b) the multidimensional nature of the Great Chain of Being, toward eventual consciousness and the effects of the expression of reunion with Universal Consciousness, the ens consciousness on these dimensions; and (c) perfectissimum. And further, the vehicles through individual differences in the nature of souls prior which the evolving consciousness is expressed are to birth that influence the development ofpersonal manifested on dimensions which can be thought characteristics. of simply as points on the Great Chain. 17 Thus, The present paper addresses the first two areas viewing consciousness from the perspective of the of inquiry. The third area, the notion that souls

114 The International journal ofTranspersonal Studies, 2001, Vol. 20 differ in some innate manner independent from Current theories of psychological development experience, lies outside the parameters of this work better when applied to children than to paper. I will note, however, that the Theosophical adolescents or adults, because all children are teaching of the seven "rays," or the seven focused on mastery of the physical dimension, and fundamental building blocks of creation, first variations in the development of the emotional, mentioned by Blavatsky in The Secret Doctrine mental, and spiritual dimensions are not yet (1888) and extensively expounded by Bailey apparent. Theories of psychological development (1936-1960), provides a remarkable vehicle for a tend not to work as well in explaining and detailed analysis of these differences. predicting growth into adolescence, adulthood, Interpretations of Bailey's abstruse writings have and beyond because developmental tasks that are been compiled by many authors, most notably by normal for people at any given age vary Robbins (1988). 18 enormously according to the individual's level of consciousness evolution, or soul maturity. Not only Consciousness Evolution: are there tasks, or developmental markers, A Developmental Psychology specific to each of the dimensions of human expression, but expected levels of development, N THE evolution of any given individual, there or normal ages at which developmental markers I occurs a gradual growth and expansion of "should" occur, on each of these dimensions, are consciousness and a concomitant development, or not the same for all people because of differences refinement, of the emotional, mental, and in consciousness level. Thus, when researchers spiritual vehicles as a function of accumulated study developmental data from large samples experience and personal effort. That is, as the soul using psychological instruments, unless overall experiences the human condition from a laTge consciousness evolution is accounted for, normal variety of perspectives and in virtually all developmental markers and the appropriate ages circumstances in the cowse of many lives, the way for these markers to show up will "wash out," or in which the individual perceives and understands be obscured. Several theories of ego development the world and the Self in relation to (and as part (e.g., Erikson, 1950, 1968; Loevinger, 1976) and of) the world evolves. Thus, human evolution Kohlberg's (1984) theory of moral development do proceeds as a series of gradual, yet at times offer useful models of psychological development dramatic, expansions in consciousness. And as through adolescence and adulthood. Yet, the consciousness expands and is expressed through usefulness of these models is limited because we the vehicles, the vehicles themselves mature. do not know the levels of consciousness of the According to Leadbeater (1903/1980), the trained populations from whom the theories were derived. clairvoyant can literally see the emotional, In the initial incarnations of any soul on the mental, and causal (spiritual) bodies and can physical plane, the focus is on physical body estimate from this the individual's level of functioning. This is not to suggest that the evolution. individual does not function at all from the higher The expansion of awareness through fow levels bodies. Certainly, a person does have emotional, of consciousness is a process not unlike the mental, and spiritual capacities at any changes in understanding and awareness that evolutionary phase. The functioning of these occur in a person's growth from childhood to bodies, however, is not matUTe, and the overall adulthood. As one would expect, the level of functioning and behavior of that individual will consciousness expansion, or soul matwity, varies reflect the relative lack of development (or from person to person at the beginning of any evolution) of each of these bodies. The person at specific life. From this perspective, any theory of this stage will be primarily focused on physical developmental psychology is, at best, incomplete behaviors; emotional control, as well as without the understanding that one's behavior, intellectual and spiritual functioning, will be general level of functioning, and character are rudimentary. very much dependent on the level of consciousness In later incarnations after physical body brought into, and developed dwing, the present functioning has been mastered, the focus shifts lifetime. to the emotional body. This is not meant to suggest

A New Look at Theosophy 115 that physical capabilities are lost or that the spiritual body is, of course, also gradually physical body in later incarnations is necessarily developing, and in time the developmental focus less strong or vital, only that the emotional body shifts to the spiritual nature. As I pointed out is now maturing as well. Since the emotional body earlier, the spiritual (or causal) body is the home is the seat of the emotions, as this vehicle matures ofthe soul. Thus, as the spiritual body develops, the emotions are tamed. This does not mean that the individual has greater access to guidance from the full spectrum of emotions is not, or should his or her soul. The soul begins to contribute not be, experienced. It does mean, however, that higher understandings and insight through an individual's behavior is no longer at the mercy intuition, or an inner knowing, and the individual of unbridled, primitive passions such as rage and responds more clearly to the world of higher revenge; mastery ofthe emotional life is achieved. values, such as unselfishness and service to Obviously, the maturation of the emotional body others. Gradually, the nature and purposes of the will change and broaden an individual's soul (as opposed to those ofthe personality) begin experience of the world (and ofthe Self in relation to dominate, and the personality assumes a role to the world) and will result in a clear shift in the subordinate to the soul. Bailey (1942) refers to person's ability to live effectively in a social this process as "soul fusion"; the personality context. Developmentally speaking, this energy at this stage becomes united with, and represents a major expansion of consciousness complementary to, that of the soul. The individual which marks a significant step forward. naturally experiences a concomitant shift in In like manner, in due time the developmental outlook, perspective, and values, accompanied by focus shifts to the mental body. As was true during corresponding changes in behavior. These the maturation of the emotional body, the developmental shifts mark an especially dramatic individual's perceptions and manner ofviewing the expansion of consciousness. Self and the world broaden, and the quality ofsocial An aspect of particular importance regarding interactions changes as a reflection of the person's the development of the spiritual body and the growing intellectual capacity and corresponding corresponding increase in input from the soul is tendency to apply reason and thoughtfulness to that, in my opinion, what we think of as all aspects of life. The resulting shift in awareness "conscience" is actually guidance from the soul. constitutes another major expansion of Does it really make sense that what is commonly consciousness. called the "still small voice" comes from a According to Bailey (1942), the physical, psychoanalytic conception called the superego? I emotional, and mental vehicles, as a unit, form the believe that the superego is an accurate and useful personality which, together with the soul, construct for describing the internalization of constitutes the human expression in the Three parental and societal prohibitions. It is, indeed, Worlds, or the field of human evolution. With an important mechanism that influences relative maturity of the mental vehicle the behavior, especially in children and in individuals physical, emotional, and mental components of the near the beginning of their physical plane personality begin to work together as an integrated incarnations. However, the superego controls system. Prior to this developmental stage, which behavior as a reminder of prohibitions and Bailey refers to as "personality alignment," the consequences only. It tells us what behaviors are component vehicles operate independently. At this wrong, not because they are not right, but because point, however, the personality becomes a fully they evoke punishment. It is our soul that tells functioning entity that is greater than the sum of us what is right. We then control our own behavior its parts and is able to receive input from the soul. because we know that certain behaviors are not Personality alignment allows the physical, right. This is what is really meant by the term emotional, and mental aspects of one's Selfto unite "knowing right from wrong," which might be more in common purpose. Thus, the individual is now accurately phrased "knowing right from that capable of a high level of achievement. which is not right." During all the lifetimes in which the physical, The still small voice is just that. The soul does, emotional, and mental bodies are maturing and indeed, communicate to us in a quiet voice and is the personality is becoming coordinated, the available to everyone throughout the entirety of

116 The International journal ofTranspersonaL Studies, 2001, Vol. 20 the evolutionary cycle. However, before the Figure 3 spiritual body is developed to any significant Hypothetical Comparison of Sequential Devdopment extent, that voice is not heard consistently or at Different Points in the Evolution Process clearly. As the spiritual body matures and input from the soul becomes more pronounced, the still • Physical • Emotional l Mental Spiritual small voice is more easily heard and understood. A formal method for training oneself to listen better to that inner voice is meditation, or contemplative prayer. For individuals at or near the beginning of the evolutionary cycle, the superego may be the greater part of what controls behavior. As development proceeds, the ratio of superego to soul influence gradually shifts, and for those persons closer to finishing the cycle, soul influence Early Stage Mid-Range Lace Stage is the greater part of the individual's inner control. This change, or shift, in the agent of inner and mental levels (given healthy and undamaged influence might be described as a shift from the vehicles, of course). Complete, or balanced, avoidance of punishment to moral, principled functioning for this individual would require a behavior. There is a parallel to the long-term focus on each of the four bodies (or levels of evolutionary process in the development from consciousness). However, she or he may not childhood to adulthood as well, in that a young necessarily choose to maintain a focus on each child's behavior is governed more by what is or is body, resulting in a less than fully balanced life. not wrong, and an adult's behavior is governed On the other hand, a person who is, for example, more by what is or is not right. Those occasional at the early stages of developing the emotional persons who are characterized as being without vehicle will have some capacity for functioning in a conscience, I suspect, are individuals who are the higher bodies (or from a higher level of near the beginning of the evolutionary cycle and consciousness), but will not be capable of mature whose superego mechanisms have failed. functioning in these bodies. In either case, there I wish to be very clear that the evolution of the is no judgment implied. That would be like vehicles of consciousness does not occur in discrete comparing a child with an adult. 19 steps from one body to another. There is some Balanced functioning for any individual, functioning and development of all the bodies from regardless of his/her degree of evolution, requires the beginning, and growth of the emotional, a focus on the development of each of the four mental, and spiritual vehicles occurs bodies irrespective of the maturity level of each simultaneously, but mature functioning in each body. For example, balanced functioning for a of the bodies occurs in developmental sequence. person who is in the early stages of emotional body One might visualize a rough and hypothetical development would require a continued focus in representation of this evolution for an individual the physical world, while also exercising the at various points as depicted in Figure 3. emotional faculties, and in addition, bringing to I also wish to stress that just because any given bear mental and spiritual functioning at whatever body is mature from an evolutionary perspective, levels the person is capable, regardless of what there is no guarantee that the individual will those levels are. The important aspect is the choose to focus on or develop that functioning in "exercise of function."20 any given life. Mature functioning of any vehicle, By the same token, balanced functioning for once developed, exists as potential in a specific the individual who is primarily at the stage of lifetime, but the body may or may not function maturing the mental body would require a maturely depending on the choice or effort of the continued focus on mature functioning of the individual. As an example, an individual with physical and emotional bodies and a stretching mature spiritual functioning will also be capable of functioning into the spiritual realm. Similarly, of mature functioning at the physical, emotional, balanced functioning for someone who is maturing

A New Look at Theosophy 117 the spiritual body would require continued 5. A crisis point that occurs in the late fifties attention to the functioning of the three lower to early sixties in those individuals who have bodies. Everyone is familiar with individuals who developed an effective relationship between are focused in the mental body to the exclusion of their soul and their personality. proper functioning ofthe physical, emotional, and At crisis point 4, the age at which this process spiritual bodies. It is also very common to see begins will vary, and the direction, length, and individuals who are focused on developing their intensity of the resulting crisis will differ spiritual body but have abandoned attention to according to circumstances and what is the full functioning of their lower vehicles (e.g., evolutionarily appropriate for the individual. individuals who engage the mental body to the Essentially, at or near mid-life one's highest level point of deciding that religious dogma as they of consciousness can potentially begin to manifest. know it no longer makes sense, and then abandon In those persons with a measure of emotional and critical thought while embracing every new mental vehicle maturity who have not yet spiritual teaching they encounter). achieved personality alignment, the crisis can be There are, of course, those persons who have as simple as the discovery that one's interests and special challenges to balanced functioning in that values differ from what one was taught through one or more of the three lower vehicles are environmental conditioning. In those persons who damaged. For those who have suffered trauma to the physical, emotional, or mental bodies, the have achieved personality alignment or soul exercise of the greatest degree of functioning and fusion (either in the present life or in a previous balance that is possible (given the limitation) is life), it is during this time that the soul begins to important, even though the result may look influence the personality, and in this case the somewhat different than would otherwise be true. crisis results from the emergence of soul aims as Although the experience and effort required for opposed to personality aims. In a person whose the vehicles of consciousness to reach maturity soul influence is emerging, one may or may not takes many lifetimes, there is a parallel of this see identification with, or a specific interest in, developmental process which occurs within each religious or spiritual matters. Nevertheless, one's lifetime (depending to some extent on the level of life will follow a spiritual (i.e., not a material) path, evolution already achieved). According to Bailey the need for service to humanity will become (1942, pp. 52-53), this results in five crisis points evident, and one will have the benefit of intuitive in the life of the individual. The first three crises promptings by, and understandings of, the soul. result from the soul appropriating the physical, From that point on, service to humanity in some emotional, and mental bodies. By appropriating, form will be the vehicle for further spiritual Bailey means that the soul begins to use that growth. vehicle as an instrument ofits purposes. When this Many people will experience the promptings occurs, a crisis point is created because the influx from the soul, and an emergence of essence, in a of soul energy causes rapid change which can strong but confusing manner that will be destabilize the vehicle. The five crisis points are: manifested in restlessness and dissatisfaction with one's life as it is, but without a sense of what one's 1. Appropriation of the physical body between approximately ages four and seven. soul is attempting to become. In these persons, the 2. Appropriation of the emotional body during very natural need for change may be experienced adolescence. This crisis is manifest, and is in a materialistic manner. If so, they are likely to easily observed in most people, as an emotional trade in their possessions for newer models (toys, instability during this time. houses, cars, spouses, etc.). But if this is done 3. Appropriation of the mental vehicle in late primarily because of disinterest in what they have adolescence. and without a corresponding interest in, or 4. A crisis point that occurs between the mid­ understanding of, the aims of their soul, they may to-late-thirties and the early-to-mid-forties very well remain restless and dissatisfied, and their when the individual's essence begins to spiritual growth will likely be truncated. This emerge. At this point there will be changes in the person's life direction and focus, sometimes results in the worst-case scenario of the "mid-life dramatically so. crisis."

118 The lnternational]ournal ofTranspersonal Studies, 2001, Vol. 20 At crisis point 5, the degree to which the General Psychotherapy Considerations individual responds to soul input and the degree to which the higher vehicles are used and developed FIND IT interesting that although the dominant determine to what degree the soul continues to use I Western philosophical/religious tradition does the vehicles jn a vital manner into old age. not teach reincarnation, it is nevertheless a Conversely, in those persons who do not continue component ofpopular culture. As an example, the fully using and developing their vehicles of long-term view of evolutionary growth is often consciousness, the soul begins gradually to tacitly acknowledged in our contemporary Western culture by common use of the term "old disengage and to withdraw its input. This does not soul." The existence of an "old" soul presupposes mean that the soul leaves the body (this does not the existence of its opposite, or "young" soul, and occur until death), only that the wisdom, intuition, by extrapolation, levels of soul age in between.21 and guidance that comes from the soul is Using the theory of consciousness evolution withdrawn, and the personality is no longer a through the four levels of spiritual development useful instrument for the soul. which I have described, or the corresponding The timing ofthe vehicle appropriations, or the concept of soul age, with a modicum of practice it ages at which they occur, can have profound is not difficult to arrive at a rough estimation of developmental significance. This is especially true where any given soul is in its evolution. Such an of the emotional and mental body appropriations. understanding has profound implications for the The developmental effects of timing differences in practice of counseling and psychotherapy. Normal a child's physical body maturation are easily seen functioning for an individual near the beginning and understood. However, the effects of timing of his or her physical plane incarnations will be differences in emotional and mental development very different from what is normal for a person are more difficult to perceive and understand and who is mature on all four dimensions. For are typically not addressed when assessing growth example, a person whose developmental focus is and development of adolescents and early adults. on the emotional vehicle will be working with the This is because existing theories of psychological experience of emotions like rage and jealousy. development have not fully viewed emotional and However, a person who is focused at the mental mental growth in the context of a paradigm which or spiritual levels and/or who has achieved soul accounts for normal developmental lags such as fusion (see earlier discussion) will concentrate on are obvious in physical growth. The normalcy of aspects of life more germane to his or her physical growth variations is easily understood, particular developmental level. That person may resulting in comments such as, "She hasn't reached continue to have the emotions of rage or jealousy, her growth spurt yet." However, in emotional and but they will be experienced differently and will mental development, what I believe to be normal be secondary, rather than primary, life issues. Obviously, for individuals at these different lags in growth are typically seen as developmental developmental levels, the therapy goals will be failures, and result in pejorative labels such as different, therapeutic interventions will be "immature" and "underachiever." In reality, different, and the ways we measure outcomes will variations in emotional and mental development be correspondingly different. must be viewed simply as normal differences in As a starting point in treatment it is important the age of appropriation of the emotional and that the therapist evaluate the individual from a mental bodies. Unfortunately, in the absence ofthis perspective of psychospiritual development. understanding, and the resulting design of Essentially, the therapist must determine where appropriate growth experiences, young people who a given individual is in the evolutionary spectrum vary on these dimensions are routinely damaged and in what ways functioning on the four by our acculturation institutions as they currently dimensions of consciousness may be out of exist. Often, those persons who lag behind on balance. Therapy focus and interventions can be emotional and mental body appropriations designed accordingly to encourage functioning at eventually catch up and excel on those very the highest possible level, to encourage a dimensions, but they must overcome the handicap stretching into the next higher level (and by doing of societal damage to do so. so to facilitate mastery ofthe level below), and to

A New Look at Theosophy 119 encourage balanced functioning. Also, it is 1. Bonding between individuals occurs on each important to attend to any level or levels on which of the four levels of consciousness, and human an individual may have abandoned focus in the relationships consist of complex arrangements of bonding on these levels. This conception has belief that lower levels are of less importance, or profound implications for understanding how are less "spiritual," than the higher levels. The people function in a social or relational context. developmental evaluation must also include an In general, successful relationships tend to assessment of the sequential appropriation occur between people who share similar levels process as described in the previous section. Were of vehicle maturity. More specifically, I believe that the quality of intimacy in a relationship there significant variations or delays in the increases dramatically as levels of appropriations and corresponding crisis points? consciousness on which bonding exists are Did trauma occur as a result of out-of-phase or added to a relationship. poorly executed appropriations? Is the individual 2. The occurrence and timing of appropriations at this time experiencing an appropriation crisis? and the associated crisis points offer a To what extent has trauma from an earlier crisis perspective for viewing rapid changes in point damaged the ability to smoothly negotiate people's lives that can destabilize psychosocial the vicissitudes of an appropriation or crisis point adjustment. currently in progress? 3. It is my belief, based on my interpretation of clinical data, that each of the vehicles of I suspect that for optimum psychological health consciousness has memory. This conception it is important for individuals to advance their has direct application to understanding the overall evolutionary development to the fullest human response to emotional trauma and to extent that they are able. For the most part, the treatment of psychological dysfunction consciousness will expand in each lifetime simply which results from trauma, especially Post as a function of living. However, when individuals Traumatic Stress Disorder. choose not to expand and develop their emotional, mental, and spiritual vehicles when the Concluding Thoughts opportunity exists to do so, I believe that depression and/or other kinds of physical, emotional, mental, BELIEVE THAT a spiritual psychology must be or spiritual imbalances will occur. Persons who fail I much more than simply an acknowledgment to develop the emotional, mental, and spiritual that humankind has a spiritual nature that levels of functioning of which they are yearns for fulfillment. This is not a psychology of developmentally capable, or who fail to advance spirit, merely a psychology that does not exclude the spiritual development with which they were spirit. At the same time, I believe that a fledgling born, essentially waste the opportunity of a spiritual psychology must avoid the temptation physical plane lifetime. It is such persons who are to rely too heavily on counting and measuring in most likely to experience difficulty at the crisis an attempt to look like a "real" science. While point in the late fifties and early sixties, when the there is certainly nothing wrong, for example, soul chooses whether or not to remain fully invested with developing taxonomies of altered states of in using the bodies (see crisis point 5). For those consciousness or catalogin g the varieties of persons in whom the soul does begin to withdraw mystical experience, we should beware of being input at this point, there will be a gradual decline seduced into reductionistic culs-de-sac. into the worst aspects of their personalities, and If science and religion are truly not ultimately into bitterness, depression, and despair. antagonistic, and if psychology and spirituality In my psychotherapy practice, I have found can indeed be viewed as aspects of the same certain observations and conceptions derived from process, then not only should we count and the present model to be particularly useful in measure what can at this time be quantified, we framing a clinical understanding of individuals should also admit data from spiritual sources to and in designing appropriate psychotherapeutic scrutiny, and allow contemplation and intuition interventions. Although a full discussion of the as methods of inquiry. In this same vein, Wilber clinical applications lies outside the parameters (1998) argues that the scientific method, conceived of this paper, I will briefly summarize these as a broad empiricism, can legitimately be applied conceptions as follows: to realms beyond the physical. Thus, using what

120 The International journal ofTranspersonal Studies, 2001, Vol. 20 Wilber calls the "three eyes of knowing" (flesh, New Testament writings, is the Greek soma (Stricker, mind, and contemplation), the entire Chain of 1991, p. 61). Being is exposed to the gaze of science. To that For the most part, the word mind is not clearly differentiated from heart and soul in biblical usage, and end, in this paper I have proposed the the words are translated somewhat interchangeably from Theosophical version of the Great Chain as a a number of Greek and Hebrew terms. In the New conceptual framework well suited to the task of Testament, however, the concept of mind as the human exploring the evolution of consciousness through faculty (or dimension) of cognition and intellectual activity the nonphysical dimensions, thereby providing does emerge more clearly in the fairly consistent use of structure for a spiritual psychology. the Greek nous (see Cowen,1991, pp. 967-968). 6. The works cited here, and in the treatment ofBuddhism Notes in the following paragraph, are resources to be used in understanding the terms and concepts from Hinduism and 1. An Essay on Man in Four Epistles. (1733-1734/1776, Buddhism that I mention. They do not relate these Epistle I, lines 237-240, 245-246). concepts to holarchy as used in this paper. 2. Although few transpersonal theorists are likely to 7. This figure is intended to compare the Theosophical dispute that interpretation and context are important version of evolutionary holarchy with the way in which factors in understanding mystical or transpersonal holarchy is seen in some of the world's primary wisdom experience, the postmodern schools of thought that hold traditions, and the terms used to describe these traditions truth and reality hostage to context-dependent are based in part on Wilber (1993). Many systems use interpretation are basically atheistic: Contextualism four or five levels and a level thought of as Spirit, God, taken to its logical conclusion would deconstruct Huxley's the Absolute, or a similar term. Accordingly, I show six "divine Reality" to a meaningless concept. In my opinion, levels including Spirit, or God. However, this figure will a view ofhuman spirituality not firmly rooted in a divine correspond to the Great Chain viewed as the seven levels Reality, as is apparently suggested by Ferrer (2000), risks given in Theosophy or the Hindu lokas, or by Ken Wilber's advocating that humankind seek transcendence to a charts (Wilber, 2000, pp. 197-217) through the first five contextual morass. levels. The final two levels of the seven-level system are 3. Lovejoy explains Plato's principle of plenitude as "the collapsed into my final level. Thus, the levels (or terms) thesis that the universe is a plenum formarum in which in Wilber's charts will stretch across my figure a little the range of conceivable diversity of kinds ofliving things differently, but basically correspond to it. Also, Wilber's is exhaustively exemplified-(and] that no genuine five-level ''General Great Chain" terms (matter, body, potentiality of being can remain unfulfilled" (Lovejoy, mind, soul, and spirit) can be read from left to right across 1936/1961, p. 52). my figure with the first three corresponding fairly closely to my first three cells. 4. The ancient Greek terms were body (soma), soul (psuche), and spirit (pneuma; literally, breath). Old 8. Many of the ideas presented in my brief summary are Testament Hebrew does not express the idea of body as a basic Theosophical teachings that are derived from many physical form. The word used is flesh (basar): the body as sources and, therefore, are not specifically referenced. a whole but not the form or shape. Thus, the corresponding However, although by no means a comprehensive Hebrew terms are: flesh, soul (nephesh), and spirit (ruach, bibliography, these ideas can be found in the following meaning life force) (Bond, 1991, p. 1299; Stricker, 1991, works: A. A. Bailey (1936-1960); A. Besant (1904/1954; p. 61; 'furner, 1980, p. 421; Wolf, 1991, p. 202). 1918); z. F. Lansdowne (1986); and C. W. Leadbeater (1903/1980). 5. The terms I use for the first two levels, body and flesh, differ from the corresponding matter and body used by 9. In this regard, note the title ofPeter Washington's (1995) Wilber (1993, 1998) and again by Walsh (1997). Matter book-Madame Blauatsky's Baboon: A History of the and body do make sense as descriptors of ascending points Mystics, Mediums, and Misfits Who Brought Spiritualism on the Great Chain of Being, and thus appropriately to America. In the title alone, Washington manages to designate the first two levels ofWilber's "basic great chain" erroneously identify Theosophy as spiritualism, as well (Wilber, 2000). However, the terms as used by these as malign the character ofprincipal Theosophical figures. authors in describing the Christian view ofholarchy lack Another example: Nelson (2000) characterizes support in the New Testament. Theosophical teachings as either distortions of Hindu and In Christian usage, the meaning of the word flesh is Buddhist thought or as having been fabricated by taken from the Hebrew basar and the Greek sarx (both Blavatsky (p. 81). nondistinct designations of physical form) and emphasizes 10. Hinduism views the universe as consisting of differing a suggestion of physical/emotional appetites, or desires regions, planes, worlds, or world divisions, called the lokas, (Grant & Rowley, 1963, p. 299; Hoehner, 1991, p. 498; with each world produced from the "matter" of the world Stricker, 1991, p. 61; 'furner, 1980, pp. 176-178). Body, in above it in descending order from the world of Brahman

A New Look at Theosophy 121 through decreasingly subtle regions to the physical world 13. The topic ofthe etheric chakra system is well covered (see Chatterji, 1931/1992; Grimes, 1996; Werner, 1997; in many sources. A particularly thorough treatment can Wood, 1964). Different schools of Hindu thought use be found in Vibrational Medicine: New Choices for Healing somewhat different terms to describe the world divisions; Ourselves by Richard Gerber (1988). Grimes (1996, p. 177) lists seven planes (in ascending order from the physical plane): (1) bhil-loka, (2) bhuvar­ 14. Moore (1994) noted that reincarnation was commonly accepted in Jesus' day and that he did not deny or teach loka, (3) svar-loka, (4) mahar-loka, (5)jano-loka, (6) tapo­ loka, and (7) satya-loka. against it (pp. 182-184); many of the early church leaders taught reincarnation (pp. 185-186); and no ecumenical 11. This figure is a compilation of information collected council of the Christian Church has ever officially rejected from many sources, and elaborates on a graphic belief in the preexistence of the soul or reincarnation (p. representation of the seven planes in Initiation, Human 321). Contrary to common belief, the Fifth Ecumenical and Solar (p. xiv) by A. A. Bailey (1922). Council (553 A.D.) did not condemn the belief in reincarnation. According to Moore (1994), the Council was 12. The correspondence between the Theosophical bodies called by the Byzantine emperor Justinian for primarily and the Vedantic koshas requires explanation because political reasons. One of his political agendas was the Vedanta also uses the word "body," and uses it in several condemnation ofOrigen, a prominent and respected third­ different ways with differing shades ofmeaning. The term century church leader who taught the preexistence of the thus invites confusion in understanding how it is used in soul, as well as reincarnation specifically. Significantly, Theosophy as well as in more specifically transpersonal although the Council rejected his views on Christology writings that use Vedantic concepts. In the most common (the nature and identity of Christ), it remained usage, Vedanta posits three bodies (the shar"iras): the conspicuously silent on the issues of the preexistence of gross, subtle, and causal bodies (in Sanskrit: sthula­ the soul and reincarnation. sharira, sukshma-sharira, andkiirana-sharira) composed of progressively finer layers of matter (Grimes, 1996; 15. Athough only the causal body is a permanent vehicle Werner, 1997; Wood, 1964). The three shariras correspond that remains throughout every life, a template or "seed" to, but are not exactly the same as, the five sheaths, or of the emotional and mental bodies is stored in the causal coverings ofAtman, called the koshas. The first and third body and becomes the starting point for those vehicles in bodies (shar"iras) correspond to the first and fifth sheaths the succeeding incarnation. (koshas) respectively. However, the second, or middle 16. Lansdowne (1986) uses the term "spiritual body" in sharira corresponds to, or is composed of (depending on reference to this higher vehicle. Since I already use one's viewpoint), the middle three koshas. In addition, "spiritual body'' in place of "causal body," I prefer to use although the koshas and the shariras are not the same either the term "light body'' or Besant's ''body of bliss" to thing, I believe it is accurate to view them as structurally describe this vehicle of consciousness. related, or as having a similar nature. Some scholars (e.g., Grimes, 1996; Werner, 1997; Wood, 1964) regard the 17. Combs and Krippner (1999), in critiquing Ken Wilber's koshas as the layers which form the three bodies. views of spiritual evolution, seem to question whether a Additionally, Wood (1964) uses "body'' to describe both the theory of spiritual growth defined as a progression through shariras and the koshas with the difference being the Vedantic stages can be viewed as following an primarily one of classification, but with the shariras evolutionary course. Since the concept of human having more of an implication of an instrument or vehicle consciousness evolving via the Theosophical bodies (which (p. 26). Chatterji (1931/1992, p. 90) says simply that the correspond to the Vedantic koshas) is central to the thesis koshas are "only the [physical] body and other human developed in this paper, let me point out several tenets of factors regarded from a particular point ofview" (emphasis Hindu thought, and advance some perspectives, which mine). In Theosophy, the system is viewed as five bodies argue for the validity of viewing a spiritual progression which are also conceptualized as instruments, or vehicles, through Vedantic planes of being as an evolutionary to be used by consciousness (much like Wood, 1964). Each model. of these bodies corresponds to a plane of nature just as The concept of evolution is fundamental to Hindu the koshas (in Vedanta) correspond to the loleas. philosophy. Consider the basic Hindu principle of the It is also important to understand that in both Vedanta inbreath and outbreath of Brahman: In this view, the and Theosophy the Great Chain of Being is most creation process is seen as alternating between two phases fundamentally represented by the underlying worlds (lokas), of divine manifestation, srishti (throwing out) or or planes, which might be viewed simply as areas on what I involution, and pralaya (drawing in) or evolution, in an call the spirit-matter continuum (see Figure 2). The Vedantic eternal cycle (Chatterji, 1931/1992). Thus, the physical koshas (or in Theosophy, the bodies) are constructed from universe (the physical plane) is the maximum point of the substance of their corresponding planes, from the the outbreath (involution), and (as seen in Theosophical physical body up through the range of the subtle bodies. theory) the human spirit, or monad, is a fragment of Thus, the koshas and/or the bodies can be conceptualized as Universal Consciousness on the return to source the Great Chain made manifest, a correspondence to the (evolution); a worldview that is, by definition, a theory of Great Chain, rather than the Chain itself. spiritual growth following an evolutionary path.

122 The International journal ofTranspersonal Studies, 2001, \101. 20 I believe that confusion is introduced when a spiritual ultimately the emotional body comes to complete maturity progression through Vedantic stages is discussed without through application ofthe mental body to whatever degree differentiating the underlying worlds or planes (lokas) it is capable. Similarly, the mental body comes to complete from the sheaths (koshas) that are manifested from the maturity through application of the spiritual body. "substance" of their corresponding planes. For example, Combs and Krippner (1999) refer to Vedantic stages 21. The recent "Michael" teachings (Yarbro, 1980, 1986, interchangeably as metaphysical planes and as sheaths 1988) describe five distinct soul ages (infant soul, baby (koshas), which they then identify as states of soul, young soul, mature soul, and old soul), and give a consciousness. Since they had already noted Tart's (1975) detailed delineation of behaviors, tendencies, attitudes, and understandings characteristic ofeach level. I perceive view that states of consciousness are discrete, it is implied this to be a corresponding presentation of essentially the that the Vedantic stages (identified as undifferentiated same material as the system of consciousness evolution I planes/sheaths/states) are discrete, and thus the hierarchical and continuous nature of the underlying have outlined in this paper. Hindu cosmology, or the Great Chain ofBeing, is obscured. In addition, when Combs and Krippner (1999) argue References that spiritual growth, defined as experiencing or identifying with the more subtle planes of being, cannot Bailey, A. A. (1922). Initiation, human and solar. New York: be viewed as following an evolutionary course because Lucis Publishing Co. these experiences "are simply not evolutionary in and of Bailey, A. A. (1930). The soul and its mechanism. New York: themselves" (p. 17), they again imply that a view of Lucis Publishing Co. spiritual growth as an advancement through Vedantic Bailey, A. A. (1942). A treatise on the seven rays: Vol. 2. Eso· stages is not evolutionary. While I fully agree with this teric psychology II. New York: Lucis Publishing Co. observation, and would add that experiencing or Bailey, A. A. (1953). A treatise on the seven rays: Vol. 3. Eso­ identifying with the more subtle planes also is not teric healing. New York: Lucis Publishing Co. necessarily a measuTe of spiritual attainment, the Bailey, A. A. (1936-1960).A treatise on the seven rays (Vols. 1- observation is unrelated to whether a Vedanta-based 5). New York: Lucis Publishing Co. theory of spiritual growth follows an evolutionary path. Besant, A. (1918). Man and his bodies. Los Angeles: Theo­ sophical Publishing House. 18. In addition to Bailey's material, a body of channeled Besant, A. (1954). A study in consciousness: A contribution to information called the "Michael" teachings (Yarbro, 1980, the science ofpsychology. Adyar, India: Theosophical Pub­ 1986, 1988) includes a framework for understanding lishing House. (Original work published 1904) innate soul characteristics that correspond in many ways Blavatsky, H. P. (1884). Isis unveiled: A master-key to the to the seven-ray material. I believe that either or both of mysteries ofancient and modern science and theology (2nd these systems can usefully be incorporated into a spiritual ed.). New York: J. W. Bouton. psychology. Blavatsky, H. P. (1888). The secret doctrine: The synthesis of It may be tempting to reject channeled material out­ science, religion, and philosophy. London: Theosophical Publishing House. of-hand. However, if we believe in the existence of states Bond, S. (1991). Spirit. In T. C. Butler (Ed.), Holman Bible of consciousness other than the normal waking state, and dictionary (pp. 1299-1300). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible in higher, more intuitive states of mind such as the Publishers. Vedantic uijfilinamaya-kosha, and ifwe recall the history Chattetji, J. C. (1992). The wisdom ofthe Thdas. Wheaton, of "revealed" teachings in the major religious traditions, IL: Theosophical Publishing House. (Originally published we must also realize that it is only a mind closed to as India's outlook on life: The wisdom of the Vedas. New wondrous possibility that can categorically reject (to York: Kailas Press, 1931) borrow a phrase from St. Paul) "things which are not seen." Combs, A., & Krippner, S. (1999). Spiritual growth and the evolution of consciousness: Complexity, evolution, and the 19. Judgment might be more easily understood if one farther reaches of human nature. International Journal compared a child to an adult who continues to behave of'Iranspersonal Studies, 18, 11-21. like a child, and this is an evolutionary possibility which Cowen, G. (1991). Mind. InT. C. Butler (Ed.), Holman Bible does occur. But even in this eventuality, the individual's dictionary (pp. 967-968). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible choice must be treated with respect. Learning and karmic Publishers. consequences which give opportunity for learning are Cranston, S., & Williams, C. (1984). Reincarnation: A new latent within even the worst choices. horizon in science, religion, and society. New York: Julian Press. 20. "Exercise of function" is a term coined by Heinz Ehman, M.A. (1975). The Lailkavatara SU.tra. In C. S. Prebish Hartmann (1939/1958) in his seminal work, Ego (Ed.), Buddhism: A modern perspective (pp. 112-117). Psychology and the Problem ofAdaptation, to describe the University Park, PA: Pennsylvania State University Press. critical developmental importance of using undeveloped, Erikson, E. H. (1950). Childhood and society. New York: but emerging, fundamental components of the ego. As a Norton. matter of interest (and in an extension of Hartmann's Erikson, E. H. (1968). Identity, youth and crisis. New York: concept) it should be noted here that, in my view, Norton.

A New Look at Theosophy 123 Ferrer, J. N. (2000). The perennial philosophy revisited. Jour· Prebish, C. S. (1975). Doctrines of the Early Buddhists. In C. nal ofTranspersonal Psychology, 32, 7-30. S. Prebish (Ed.), Buddhism: A modern perspective (pp. 29- Gerber, R. (1988). Vibrational medicine: New choices for heal· 35). University Park, PA: Pennsylvania State University ing ourselves. Santa Fe, NM: Bear & Co. Press. Grant, F. C., & Rowley, H. H. (Eds.). (1963). Dictionary of the Robbins, M.D. (1988). Tapestry of the gods: Vol. 1. The seven Bible (Rev. ed.). New York: Scribner's. rays: An esoteric key to understanding human nature. Grimes, J. (1996). A concise dictionary ofIndian philosophy: Mariposa, CA: University of the Seven Rays Publishing Sanskrit terms defined in English (Rev. ed.). Albany, NY: House. State University of New York Press. Schumann, H. W. (1993). Buddhism: An outline of its teach­ Hartmann, H. (1958). Ego psychology and the problem of ings and schools (G. 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The Christian conspiracy: How the teach· Yarbro, C. Q. (1986). More messages from Michael. New York: ings of Christ have been altered by Christians. Atlanta, Berkley Books. GA: Pendulum Plus Press. Yarbro, C. Q. (1988). Michael's people. New York: Berkley Moore, T. ( 1992). Care ofthe soul: A guide for cultivating depth Books. and sacredness in everyday life. New York: HarperCollins. Zukav, G. (1989). The seat of the soul. New York: Simon & Morris, W. (Ed.). (1969). The American heritage dictionary of Schuster. the English language (8th ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Myss, C. (1996). Anatomy of the spirit: The seven stages of power and healing. New York: Three Rivers Press. Nagao, G. M. (1991). Madhyamika and Yogacara: A study of Mahayana philosophies. Collected papers of G. M. Nagao (L. S. Kawamura, Ed. & Trans.). Albany, NY: State Uni­ versity of New York Press. Nelson, P. L . (2000). Mystical experience and radical deconstruction: Through the ontological looking glass. In T. 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